June 24, 2008
| Last Updated: 6/24/08 12:11 AM ET
| Comments (208)
Things I Think I Think About The Eagles
One year ago, I would have written that it was clear, and there was no doubt about it, that the Eagles' offense would have to lead the way in 2007 to give a young defense time to mature. Didn't work out that way, of course. This year? Based on last season and considering the way the Eagles addressed the defense in the offseason, it would be logical to conclude that the defense is the dominant side of the ball in 2008.
Yeah, right.
How do you know? We're sitting here, less than a month to go before training camp begins, and I'm trying to consider what kind of team to expect the Eagles will be. I get the question every day, many times each day: Is this the year for the Eagles?
My answer is generally the same: I think the Eagles will be a very good team. I think the Eagles should be a Super Bowl contender.
But how do we really know? The NFL is not about making predictions in June and July. It is, instead, about winning games from week to week, and while we all consider Andy Reid to be a boring read during his press conferences, his "week-to-week" mantra is really true.
Look, the national media have their opinion of the Eagles, which we're going to read about when the annual publications hit the market in a month or so. And I imagine that Dallas will be the popular pick in the division and that the Eagles won't get a lot of love. I'm preparing for that.
Truth is, I couldn't care less.
All I'm doing now is imagining how the season is going to play out for the Eagles. I see an offense that has a lot of weapons and a tremendous amount of flexibility. Maybe the national media haven't considered how much it means to have a healthy Donovan McNabb, a healthy L.J. Smith and the additions of wide receiver DeSean Jackson and running back Lorenzo Booker. I see a defense that has so much more speed than last year that it isn't even close, and that newcomers Asante Samuel, Chris Clemons and Trevor Laws are going to make a good defense more dominant.
Maybe the doubters don't understand how much the Eagles need to get back to the top of the division and the conference, about how much hunger there is in the organization and among Eagles fans. Maybe they don't grasp the concept of what went down last year, when the Eagles lost close game after close game to fall out of the playoff race before righting things and winning the last three games of the season.
Maybe. Whatever. Who cares?
My point is that talking about a season now is pure fun and pure conjecture. You and I expect the offense to work to find its way a little bit, to follow the lead of a defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFC East in 2007. But, as history showed us as recently as last season, expecting a season to roll out exactly as planned is foolhardy.
I'm thinking a million things about this team right now. I can't wait for training camp to start. I want to find out about the Eagles. I think I know how good this team can be. I know, however, that I don't know much at all, and that training camp is just the beginning of a long, wonderful tale of the 2008 season.
NEWS, NOTES AND THIS AND THAT
- Wondering what is happening at the NovaCare Complex? I will tell you: Just about nothing. There are still a couple of players around and working out, but the conditioning program is over and most of the players are out and about, enjoying some down time before camp starts.
- Tune in on Monday, July 21, for Andy Reid's State-Of-The-Team press conference from Lehigh University. Training Camp Live! starts at 4:30 p.m. that day. We're live every day after that at Noon. Make sure to tune in for practice highlights, interviews, features and the latest on your favorite team.
- Only three draft picks are unsigned. Sure seems like all will be signed in plenty of time for training camp.
- From what I can ascertain, based on the talk toward the end of the June passing camp and from what I've seen, quarterback Donovan McNabb is finished with his rehab on his right shoulder and is in Arizona. From what I think, everyone concerned with McNabb's shoulder is confident that he is ready to go for training camp. I could be wrong, but that is my perspective.
JeromeBrown99
06/26/08
12:44 am ET |
Pete... Don't forget the long TD right before the half Vs. Pats on 3rd down. Or Feeley tossin it to Samuel... again... late. === Or the 2 muffed punts and Spikes droppin INT that Favre tried to hand him that Spikes would have took for 6. === Or the last play of the Bears game. Or that snap shooting by Griese only to have Considine scoop it at Bears 35 that would have salted the game. But called back by some unknown NFL penalty. Thats was changed right after that I might add. === Or the INT at the GL Vs. Hawks. THE 4TH that Feeley threw! After #36 had done it again. Or EAGLES gettin stuffed at GL before the half? === Or the OBVIOUS PI on Pierce. Or the missed FG. === Or the 4th down pass by #5 when he hung Curtis out to get lit up by the skins S at the GL. === Did I get all 6 of those FREAK losses that would never happen again in 50 years? === Wonder what we could have done with a healthy TEAM? Or with what we have now? 14-2? Maybe better?
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JeromeBrown99
06/26/08
12:28 am ET |
I would love to get a shot at Pats with this D.
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JeromeBrown99
06/26/08
12:28 am ET |
Bri... not sure anyone can cover Welker at 5 to 8 yards. And thats where they killed us. Moss didn't get much. They kept a S on him all day. And Gocong and Mikell stayed with Watson. The problem is... once you do that... Faulk and Welker will kill ya. Hansen stayed with Welker well for givin up 12 snags or whatever. But certainly Brown would have done better. He could have muscled him more for sure. Still you can't stop Welker underneath. The combination of Moss and Welker is tough. If you take out Moss. Welker is 1 on 1 with a LB or 3rd CB. And you can't win that matchup on D. === It's no different that our O will be. If you man up outside. Then you have #36, LJ and #10 of Booker. And you have to cover that quickness with a LB somewhere. And that is a mismatch Vs. every TEAM. Cept ours.
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JeromeBrown99
06/26/08
12:17 am ET |
Somebody gotta explain the 6 WR's thing. Why the Hell would we keep 6 WR's?
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JeromeBrown99
06/26/08
12:16 am ET |
I 100% don't see 6 WR's. Our 6th WR's aint' good enough for a spot. === It's gonna be the 3 QB's. === 3 RB's === 1 FB === 3 TE === 5 WR === 1 K === 1 P === 1 DS === 6 DE's === 5 DT's === 5 CB's === 4 S === Then that leaves 15 spots for O-line and LB. Thats where the extra spot will come from. Either Justice will back up both spots. With Andrews and Herremans ready to slide out long term if needed. Or since #96 can play Mike and Will. Bradley can play Mike and Buck. Jordan and Boiman can pay all 3. We might not need 6 LB's. Specially with Clemons and Smith being able to play that LB spot on ST's. So it's gonna be either 9 O-line with a bunch of flexible players. Or 5 LB with a bunch of flexible players.
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peter.adamo@...
06/25/08
11:28 pm ET |
JB I'll buy that also. lets not forget that with NE take away the first pass from Feely (Samuel INT for 6) it's a whole new game. DSH...I don't know about JR Reed. He showed us that he can be a physical force in the secondary. He laid quite a few folks out towards the end of the season. He lacks speed, but came a long way as far as knowing our Defense and playing as a unit. I believe it was JB talking about the team that plays as a complete unit is the team that wins. That is the absolute truth. New England won with a bunch of no name average players that played very well together for years. Yeah there is Spygate, but I'm not sold on that. Spygate (even if it is true) didn't help them through every victory. I have 3 QBs. 3 RBs, 6 WR, 10 OL, 3 TE, 1 FB, 5 CBs, 4 S, 5 LB, 5 DE, 6 DT, and then Rocca, Akers, and Dorenbos.
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dsh129@...
06/25/08
10:31 pm ET |
Roster Spots: Some notable players I have not making the team...Kris Wilson, JR Reed, Marcus Paschal, (either Boiman, Mays, or Pago will make the team as the 6th LB), Kimo, Klecko, (Raegor and Howard will battle for the last DT spot, i say howard beats him out). I have 3 QBs, 4 RBs, 6 WRs, 10 OL, 2 TEs, 1 FB, 5 CBs, 4 S, 6 LBs, 5 DEs, 4 DTs, then akers, rocca, dorenbos.
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
9:32 pm ET |
Saw that coming about 5 posts ago..lookin at the stats, which seems to impress alot of peeps, of the NE game...T Cole = 1 tackle,0 sacks...Clemons, Smitty..makes even more sense in hindsight....wonder if sheldon could have kept up with welker?
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
9:18 pm ET |
200!
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
9:18 pm ET |
Guess I'll take...
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
8:56 pm ET |
Pete... I like your post there. But I'll take it a step further... We found out EAGLES were just plain Bad the 1st 8. And we could beat anybody in the NFL the 2nd 8. As we got healthy... we became a TEAM that could beat anybody in the NFL.
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
8:53 pm ET |
Blocked Punt '08!!!
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
8:51 pm ET |
FranCann... I'm just sayin that you sayin EAGLES are .500 TEAM makes it sound like EAGLES haven't done a thing. After ALL those injuries last year... we were an OBVIOUS PI penalty called from makin the playoffs. And we won the EAST the year before. === So... you can say if #36, Lito, Thomas, #5, #20, Runyan being hurt, LJ OUT, TO gettin kicked off the TEAM and have 1 of our best DE's comin off a knee injury... then yeah... we are a .500 TEAM. No doubt. I agree. But if we have half those things happen we CAN STILL GET TO THE playoffs. Why don't you say we are 18-14 the last 2 with a EAST title? Why not say we were .500 last year with 7 pro bowlers OUT? And if that doesn't happen again... we should be 12-4? === So I'm just makin sure that everyone understands The Truth. And that is we won the EAST year before last. And last year after havin #5 hobble around and try to play NFL QB. And our best defensive players missing at least 4 games each. And our star TE and #5s pass buddy LJ Smith being OUT for basically the whole season. And our OT's hurting all year. We still made the playoffs if the refs didn't blow that call Vs. giants. And that would have just made you sick! Then all you could have said was.... The EAGLES suck! They only made the playoffs twice in the last 2 years! === 18-14 the last 2. And thats The Truth!
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peter.adamo@...
06/25/08
8:29 pm ET |
What we found out last season is that our team was good, but not great. We didn't have the depth at skill positions to carry us when our number 1's went down. Corner was a huge weakspot. TE was weak when LJ went down and tried to play through injuries until late in the season. And most of the other players were playing @80% due to injuries. It was up to the coaching staff to put the best team on the field, and unfortunatly the hurt players at 80% was it. This offseason we have added depth to just about every position. So even if injuries plauge us it should not be an 8-8 season. Special Teams is the biggest hurdle to get over this year. They have to be able to put our offense and Defense in better position to with the battles.
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
6:12 pm ET |
Just soften up the characterization a bit..unless they really deserve it...you'll find that even da 'losers' get lucky sometimes,.den you look like one of dem,..guvna'.
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Schiller
06/25/08
5:43 pm ET |
couldn't help myself- I have a natural aversion to the haters.
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
5:38 pm ET |
schill,..faux pas like that are commonplace here,..actually,.pretty funny,..great opportunity to take your bro' to da 'shed,..sumtin ib doin' fer years...and still gittin' abuse ferit!
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Schiller
06/25/08
5:24 pm ET |
FranX- Go ahead and be a pessimist- you're not the only Philly fan like that, but I say thinking bad brings on bad things- karma- you know? i.e.- mistakes like....I disagree about Marty Booker. I don't want to see him succeeding on the field. HE's on the Bears! Lorenzo on the other hand....
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
5:00 pm ET |
Fran, dat was another man's words,.not mine...however,..let's try to look at things again since my posting looks funky (agin). JB is just evaluating the perceived talent level,..don't look at numbers. When you accuse JB of speculating,.are you not doing the same thing?...and you really have to include growth and purported improvement for our younger guys too,.and sometimes our older guys who come into camp fired up at 255!..see what we're gettin at? Hey,.I know you guys are from Missouri, and that's ok,..just be cognizant that we're all speculators,..we're lookin ferda gold and you're seeing the lead only.
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FrancisXMcCann
06/25/08
4:13 pm ET |
JB...as Brizer said... the .500 mark that we have over the past 3 years is a real statistic... spread however you would like its true... I am pessimistic because, regardless of the injuries, I saw a team that did not impress me overall last year... the offense was good but couldn't score... the defense was good but couldn't produce turnovers... the special teams was flat out rotten... now you can speculate and dream and hope and throw guys statistics around... but its all speculation until the season gets going and we see what these changes on the team really equal out to... after all.. last year we were just as optiimistic going into the season and as we saw even Dave Spadaro's optimisim dipped... even he wrote on here that people better start playing for their jobs... I want to see all the suger coated dreams come true of Kevin Curtis dominating at Wide Receiver, DeSean Jackson running back punts and kicks, Marty Booker and B-West cutting up defenses, 3 cornerbacks swooping in on passes and taking interceptions to the house... but my friend... all i can go by is last year and last year... for its 8-8 record of average overall, was for the most part some serious weak sauce... its tough for me to feel disheartened mid-season by the Eagles, but I was my friend, I was... so maybe it is pessimism, but in actually... I would say its realism... when I see the tide start changing... when D-Mac is throwing bolts to a breaking Kevin Curtis and opponents' heads are spinning on their shoudlers from the speed of our team... then you will see me blirt out the optimisms and the positives of this team... but I don't like to base my postings on speculation.
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
4:07 pm ET |
One can evaulate two ways: Numbers
face value (TALENT/coaches)
i truly believe that if this team finished 4-12 or 12-4 last year....he'd feel just about that same way he feels today about 2008-09....SB 2009..git yur popcrn ready.....
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JeromeBrown99
06/25/08
4:06 pm ET |
jiggles... you like that Gator story huh? It was an amazing site. NEVER would I have guessed they get that big. And I had a camera in the car. But didn't think bout it. I wondered if that guy was alive and/or what they would do with it if he did. I'd love to buy it. But I'd at least like to have a picture. obtw... I forgot the best part. The dude that jumped in had a thick beard... like a hippy. And it was just caked with Birds***. It was pretty gross. I talked with him today and he said we measured it lengthwise. He says it was 5'long. And 3'2'' wide. I don't remember us measuring it longways though. === But as far as stories go... thats not 1 of my Favs. And I've left it out of all my books by popular demand. I run most everything by someone else to get a reaction. And for the most part... people don't like it. I'll say I got a bigger reaction when I posted it on LSU chat last year. Got 200 replies. Philly not big on gators so much. But it is interesting. Think I'm gonna put it in. All... thanks... to... YOU! == obtw... That why I tell these strange meaningless stories. Practice.
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kgall
06/25/08
3:59 pm ET |
If Howard gets 35 sacks this year, I will marry Baby Blue. You have my word on that.
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brizer9@...
06/25/08
3:58 pm ET |
I have to admit though,.seeing Howard at 255-60 really blew my mind...then hearing the players talking about it...hey,.he made some plays late last year,..maybe there is carry-over,.little bit?
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kgall
06/25/08
3:56 pm ET |
I don't think it's strange that Fran would point that out. It's true, after all. That's not saying we don't like this year's team. JB, you just happen to be blessed with a more forgiving sense of hope than some of us. The "reality" of which you speak is the same reality in which the Eagles are a .500 club since the Super Bowl appearance. I don't blame Fran for his pessimism, I share it too sometimes.
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